May 29, 2012

State Senator Velmanette Montgomery, who represents the Atlantic Yards site and has been a longtime opponent of the project, has asked the State Liquor Authority (SLA) to change the location and time of the agency's required hearing on the Barclays Center liquor license.

The 500-foot rule hearing, required when there are other nearby establishments, is currently scheduled for 11 am on Tuesday, June 12 at the SLA office at 317 Lenox Avenue in Manhattan, at 126th Street. Community boards, as well as civic groups, have asked for assurances of outreach and other arena-related plans, though the community boards have not backed 10 pm cut-off of liquor sales.

The SLA is expected to approve the application; the question is whether the process will impose any conditions on the operator.

Making the hearing more accessible

Montgomery asked for "a weeknight evening in the downtown Brooklyn area," according to her letter, below.

"As you are aware, she wrote, "this is arguably the largest application Brooklyn has ever faced. While I appreciate the concerted effort your offices must be exerting to process this complicated application in a timely manner, my office has been inundated with calls from residents and organizations objecting to the current date, time, and location."

It would be a disservice "to both the applicant and the community," Montgomery wrote, unless all potentially affected parties get an opportunity to speak.